Levey, Sylvie

China’s first transsexual; a colonel of the People’s Liberation Army changes into a now famous cheographer; the life in a Chinese prison for female inmates; the intimate life of a Shanghai worker’s family under the sledgehammer of demolishing… when film director Sylvie Levey tells a story, its goes directly to the heart. Never sensationalist, always eager to show the beautiful gray sides of at life that is often depicted as black and white.

Levey is living since 1999 in Shanghai, as an avid observer of one of the fastest-changing places in the world.
• TV : Documentaries, reports and news for French Television (different channels : France 2; France 3 including a two years period of work at its Foreign Service in Paris; Arte; Canal+; M6; CF1; AITV for one year of work, interviewing – to mention but a few, Dalai Lama, Benazir Bhutto, Rajiv Gandhi, Qian Qichen, Cory Aquino, le Prince Sihanouk
• Written Press : various articles (COTE EST Magazine, Marie-Claire, VSD, Vogue, Le Monde, Le Figaro, LA TRIBUNE, L’Express, Elle, Air France Magazine, Jalouse, Marianne, LIBERATION, Maison de la Chine, CA M’INTERESSE, GEO, Le Point,and so on..)

Nomination & Award
• “Shanghai, Waiting for Paradise” is a moving story about life inside the home, minds and hearts of 3 generations of Chinese living under one roof in the old city of Shanghai, who are suddenly confronted by the imminent demolition of their home. The Wang family.
• “High Crimes in Shanghai” – Awarded the “LES ETOILES DE LA SCAM” prize (May 2006) and the “Prize of the Best Documentary” at the Festival of Scoop & Journalism in Angers – FRANCE (December 2004)
• “The Unique Destiny of Colonel Jin Xing” – Awarded “Prix Special du Jury – FIGRA 2002″ (International Festival for Grand Reportages)
• “Gold Star Colonel” – Nominated for “Prix Albert Londres 2001″ (a 26′ minute film about Jin Xing, the transsexual former PAL colonel)

Sylvie Levey can cover the following subjects:
One child policy
The migrants situation
The trans-sexuality in China
Daily life in Prison
The traditional way of living in the old city of Shanghai + “relocation” of hundred thousands of Shanghainese families to the suburb
The youth in Shanghai